October 30, 2022
Pastor Ricky Smith

Sermon Notes

I. Recognize Our Gifts Come From God

Exodus 31:1-11
The Lord said to Moses, “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent, the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, and the finely worked garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. According to all that I have commanded you, they shall do.”

Take time to acknowledge the Giver of gifts and avoid the trap of selfishness.

1 Corinthians 12:18–20
As it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

II. Look for a Sign

Exodus 31:12-17
And the Lord said to Moses, “You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you. You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’ ”

A weekly rhythm of rest provides a moment to pause and thank God.

III. Can You Put That In Writing?

Exodus 31:18
And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

Next Steps

• I confess my sin and turn to Jesus as my King
• I acknowledge the gifts God has given me and commit to use them for His glory.
• I commit to take the S.H.A.P.E. assessment to discover my gifts.

Deep Dive

1. Do you typically send a thank you note when you receive a gift? Why or why not?
2. Read Ephesians 4:7-13. How do our gifts play a role toward unity for the Kingdom?
3. Why do we tend to use our gifts selfishly rather than for the benefit of others?

Springboard

1. Who is the most stubborn person you know? Why?
2. How have Christians polluted the purity of our worship to God?
3. Read Psalm 25:11. How should our attitude be toward our sin?